Refrigerator cabinet construction



Feb. 6, 1945. E. F. HUBACKER REFRIGERATOR CABTNET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 9; 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l fizz/6711 271 Feb. 6, 1945. HUBACKE'R 2,368,837

REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 30* f I a fizz/6722 07 ZZZFZFELcZCGf Patented F ch. 6, 1945 REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Earl F. Hubacker, Highland Park, Mich., assignor to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111.,

a corporation of Illinois Application February 9, 1942, Serial No. 430,022

2 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cabinets, and particularly to an improved construction directed to the prevention of deterioration normally caused by moisture accumulation within the refrigerator wall structure.

It has been found that within the practical limits of modern assembly line fabrication of refrigerator cabinet structures, particularly refrigerator doors, thereis unavoidably incorporated therein a certain small percentage of open the refrigerator cabinet, there results a vapor pressure tending to force air into the interiorof the structure through these minute imperfections or unavoidable tolerances between the component parts thereof. The problem is particularly significant as to a refrigeratorfdoor composed of a sheet metal outer door'panel' and a separate inner door panel, the two panels being fastened about the peripheries thereof' in as nearly a sealed relation as is commercially practicable. Some leakage of air laden moisture about the area of juncture between the two panels is unavoidable, and this condition is even more aggravated in the area of attachment of the hinges and the lock mechanism.

It has been recognized for a long time by those familiar with the service life of refrigerator cabinets that this unavoidable moisture results in deterioration and breakdown-of the interior construction of imperfectly sealed cabinets and particularly door structures requiring either the rebuilding of the box or the discarding thereof.

This problem has become additionally aggravated as manufacturers have been constantly striving for further economies ;and increased efliciencies, while at the same time placing par! ticular emphasis on making satisfactory substitutes for metal where practicable. One very important step that has been tried extensively in this direction is the employment of commercially available composition board for the 'inner door panel, this board being variously procured under such names as "pressed gypsum board," masonite tempered pressed board and others. The serious difliculty encountered in the attempt: to use this material has been its property of deteriorating due to moisture which is characterized for exafmple by the peeling off of the enamel coating as well as the occurrence of offensive and destructive bulges therein due to changes in the dimensions thereof caused by increased moisture content.

'10 space. Because of the temperature gradient or difference between the-room and the interior or and showing to advantage one preferred ary rangementof the dehydrating or breather, ports I formed in the inner door panel and the venti- I have discovered, and it is the object of the present invention to disclose a relatively simple, inexpensive, but novel and eflicient structure and arrangement, which by taking advantage of one of, the normally disadvantageous or undesirable characteristics of the refrigerating mechanism proper results in solving this entire roblem. i 7

It is a further detailed object to provide the herein disclosed specific and novel construction incorporating the invention. I

Other and more specific objects, advantages and uses of my invention will become apparent from' a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the appended drawings forming a part thereof and wherein: p 1

vFig.1 is a schematicelevational view,-showing a refrigerator cabinet Withla. door assembb incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partially broken-away 1 elevational view of the inside ofthe refrigerator door indicating the preferred location o'fythe breather or dehydratingv ports and ventilating ,shields or screens cooperating therewith;

Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe door shown in Fig. 2 with a section broken away for the purpose of showing to advantage the inner construction and arrangement;

Fig. .4 is a broken-away cross-sectional view 7 taken substantially on the line 4-4 of (Fig. 1

lating shield-or screen cooperating therewith;

Fig. 5'is'a view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4 showing the underside "ofthe ventilating shield or. screen as well asthe arrangement of, the attaching clipsfor fastening the same to the inner door panelg Fig 6. is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-6 of Fig. 5 except that the inner'door panel is shown in position; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view through another alternative embodiment wherein the door seal gasket is formed to have the additional function of a shield or screen for the dehydrating or breather portsin the inner door panel.

' Referring in greater detail to the figures of the drawings, numeral l0 indicates a refrigerator cabinet assembly preferably of the type composed of an outer sheet metal'housing enclosing the usual tank ll defining a food compartment provided with refrigeration by an evaporator l2, the food compartment or tank ll being arranged tobe closed by refrigerator door ll.

vantages.

While the present invention is equally applicable to the dehydration or removal of moisture from the area between the cabinet housing proper and the tank ll wherein the usual insulation Ila is located, the same will be herein illustrated and described with particular reference to the removal of moisture from the door 7 structure [3 as the problem is aggravated in the case of the door due especially to thedifficulty of effecting a, complete seal about the hinges H and the lock mechanism l5 and to a lesser degree to the difficulty in effecting a seal in the area of juncture between the outer door panel and the inner door panel.

Turning particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the door I3 is illustrated as being composed of a sheet metal outer door panel l6 dished to provide coninvention, the dehydrating ports 20 are-disposed in alignment, and thus readily shielded or screened from being observed, by means of a ventilating shield or screen '2 l. One preferred embodiment of this shield is shown in Figs. 4 to 6 as comprising a generally channel-shaped member 2| having a back portion. 22 connecting opposedf'inturned side portions 23 arranged to ex- 1 tend over and cover breather ports 20, the side siderable depth, receiving insulation lid, and

closed on the inner side with an inner door panel II, the two panels being attached about the periphery thereof with a door seal gasket l8 which effects as complete a seal as is commercially practicableof accomplishment under, modern assembly lines manufacturing conditions. However, a certain limited amount of. moisture does find its way into the interior of door structure I3" and if allowed to remain there would result in the deterioration of this inner structure, which includes the insulation as well as the inner surfaces of the'panels themselves.-

of inner door panel I! being made of a relatively "expensive and less available metal, that the same be fabricated of pressed fiber board in any on oi the several forms commercially available under such names as pressed gypsum board?! or portions 23 being additionally formed with indentations 24 serving to allow free communication between the evaporator 12 and the ports 20 as indicated by arrows 25. Ventilating shields -2l maybe made of any suitable material such for example as'an available metal or preferably a condensation product, the exact composition of which forms no particular part of the present invention. The shield 2| may be readily fastened in position by means of spring clips which include a head portion 3| confined within shield' I 2| and protruding leg portions 32, which may masonite. tempered pressed board and'others. This'pressed fiber board when used as the inner door panel has the further disadvantageasfcompared to metalsof absorbing moisture with the a result that the dimensions-of the panel become enlarged, which condition is} accompanied by bulging and the related i obj ections and disad- As a solution to the above and related problems, I have discovered that thenol'mally objectionable dehydrating property or characteristic 0f the evaporator l2 maybe taken advantage of to remove themoisture fr'om'the interior of door as r r '30. Ing one of the more specific aspects of the 7 present invention it is contemplated that instead be pressed together sufliciently to permit of 'passage through an opening 33 in panel H, but which open'up again due to the resiliency thereof and function to restrain the withdrawalv of leg por-' tions 32 from the opening.

It will be apparent that the shield or screen for thebreather port may take a number of different forms coming within the broad concept of myinvention so long as the same prevents direct observation. of the holes in the inner door panels while at the same time permittingfree communication between the door'interior and' the evaporator.

Such an alternative construction is the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 wherein the door seal gasket 40 which functions as a fairly complete seal connection between the outer door panel I6 andthe inner do or'panel H, is

further formed with; a gasket portion proper 4| for engagement between the door l3and the refrigerator housing about the door opening and still further with an inwardly extending over sembly I3 by providing the necessary breather or V dehydrating ports in the door structure for plac- I that 'a satisfactory removal of moisture can be eflected by forming a pluralityrof holes or ports 20 in the inner door panel Tll in two vertical rows spaced a short distance inwardly of the door edges. There will of course be a general removed therethrou'gh, although this relationship is not of a critical character so long as the capacity of the ports is sufficiently large and the size'and dispositionthreof are both maintained withinlimits pleasing to the eye of the user.

As a further important feature of the present from direct observation. 7 r

' I claim:

hanging lip portion 42 performing the important function .ofshielding orfscreening the ports 20 While I have disclosed my inventionin connection with certain specific embodiments thereof,.it is to beunderstood that the same is by way of exainplerather than by way of limitation, and it is intended that the scope of my invention be defined by the appended claims.

. 1 In a refrigerator :c'abinet assembly of the type including a hollow housing defined by spaced walls 'containing insulating material, said housing having a door providing access thereto, likewise defined by spacedwalls containing insulated 'material,*said housing being provided with an evaporator forcooling the interior thereof, and at least one of said interior walls being formed 7 with a plurality of perforations whereby said lationship between the total area of ports 20 I and the amount of moisture that must be reevaporator may dehydrate therethrough any I moisture that may bercontained within the associated spaced walls, andimeans' defining a shield for covering said perforations, said means being formed to provide communication between said perforations and said evaporator.

-; 2. 'In a sheet metal exterior housingtyp'e of refrigerator cabinet 5 including a doorproviding access to the interior thereof and anlevaporator therein .for 'cooling the same, said door. being defined in part by a sheet metal outer panel and 7 a pressed fiber board inner panel spaced there irom and' separated by insulating material, said arrangement being particularlycharacterized by the formation insaid inner 'door panel of a plurality of ports located a relatively short distance from at least one of the peripheral edges of said panel adjacent the area where said inner and outer panels are joined together, whereby said evaporator may be effective to remove moisture from between said panels through said ports, and means defining a shield for covering said ports from normal observation, said means inciuding a general channel-shaped strip having a relatively thin back wall portion and a pair of opposed intumed side wall portions arranged to engage said panel and to overlap the peripheral portions of said ports, said side wall portions being further formed withindentations providing, communication through said ports to said evaporator.

' EARL F. HUBACKER. 

